Aramco advances gas expansion with Jafurah and Tanajib projects, boosting production capacity, economic growth, energy security, and supporting Saudi Arabia’s diversification goals.
Aramco advances gas expansion with Jafurah and Tanajib projects, boosting production capacity, economic growth, energy security, and supporting Saudi Arabia’s diversification goals.
Saudi Aramco has announced significant progress in its long-term gas expansion strategy, marking a major milestone with the launch of production at the Jafurah unconventional gas field and the start of operations at the Tanajib Gas Plant. These developments represent a substantial step forward in strengthening the company’s gas portfolio and advancing Saudi Arabia’s broader energy ambitions.
The Jafurah field, recognized as the largest unconventional gas reserve in the Middle East, and the Tanajib Gas Plant, one of the largest facilities of its kind globally, are central to Aramco’s vision of scaling up its gas production capabilities. These projects are expected to play a crucial role in the company’s goal of increasing its sales gas production capacity by approximately 80% by 2030, compared to 2021 levels. By the end of the decade, Aramco aims to reach total gas and associated liquids production of nearly 6 million barrels of oil equivalent per day.
This expansion is also projected to generate substantial financial returns. By 2030, Aramco anticipates incremental operating cash flows in the range of $12 billion to $15 billion, depending on market demand for gas and prevailing liquids prices. These figures highlight the economic importance of gas as a core component of the company’s future growth strategy.
According to President and CEO Amin H. Nasser, the Jafurah and Tanajib projects significantly enhance Aramco’s operational scale and reinforce its long-term growth trajectory. He emphasized that natural gas will play a central role in meeting rising domestic demand, supporting industrial development, and generating high-value liquid products. These investments are also expected to strengthen Aramco’s diversification efforts while delivering consistent value to shareholders, with continued backing from the Ministry of Energy.
The Jafurah project, which began producing unconventional shale gas in December 2025, demonstrates the company’s focus on technological innovation. Advanced drilling and stimulation techniques have been used to reduce costs and improve well productivity, setting a global benchmark for unconventional gas development. Spanning approximately 17,000 square kilometers, the field is estimated to contain 229 trillion standard cubic feet of raw gas and 75 billion barrels of condensate.
By 2030, Jafurah is expected to produce 2 billion standard cubic feet of sales gas per day, along with 420 million standard cubic feet of ethane and around 630,000 barrels of high-value liquids daily. These outputs are anticipated to support key sectors such as energy, artificial intelligence, and petrochemicals, contributing significantly to Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification and strengthening its position among the world’s leading gas producers.
Meanwhile, the Tanajib Gas Plant, which commenced operations in December 2025, is designed to enhance Aramco’s gas processing capacity. It is expected to achieve a raw gas processing capacity of 2.6 billion standard cubic feet per day by 2026. The facility processes associated gas from the offshore Marjan and Zuluf oil fields and incorporates advanced digital systems to optimize efficiency and resource utilization.
Beyond production gains, Aramco’s gas expansion strategy is expected to unlock wide-ranging economic opportunities. The projects are likely to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs while supporting national industries and strengthening energy security. Additionally, the increased availability of natural gas will help shift the domestic energy mix toward cleaner fuels, reduce reliance on liquid fuels, and align with Saudi Arabia’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.
Overall, these developments underline Aramco’s commitment to building a more resilient, diversified, and sustainable energy future while maintaining its position as a reliable global energy supplier.
